City accepts farm ground lease

The city of Chillicothe will receive higher farm ground lease payments this year compared to years past.

Boon Farms, of Chula, submitted the highest bids for farm ground at the airport and industrial park. The bid came in at $23,552 for the airport ground, and $35,072 for the industrial park ground for a one-year lease.

The airport ground consists of 92 tillable acres, and will be rented at a rate of $256 per acre. The industrial park farm ground contains 137 tillable acres and will be rented at the same rate.

Four bids were submitted to the city for consideration. The other airport ground bids ranged from $226 per acre to $242.75 per acre, while the industrial park ground bids ranged from $226 per acre to $248.75 per acre.

While the industrial park farm ground lease is similar to last year's rate, the overall amount for the airport ground lease increased by $8,280. Last year, the airport's farm ground was $15,272. Crops on the farm ground are limited to soybeans.

Council members considered the bids during last week's meeting and unanimously approved the bids.

Also during the council's meeting, city officials approved an ordinance regarding an airport aid agreement for the purchase of a new ceilometer for the AWOS (automated weather observation station) unit, to replace an inoperable one at the airport. Airport manager Bill Kieffer explained that the instrument shoots a laser at clouds to determine the height of a cloud base. The $23,304 unit will be paid for through an entitlement grant, which will provide 90 percent funding. The city will pay the remaining 10 percent.

The council also reviewed park items to be listed as surplus. They include a metal platform with slide (toddler toy), an A-frame swing set (single bay), and a rubber tire climber (toddler toy). The city's insurance carrier recommended removal of these items. Also to be added to surplus items was a seven-tire Rosco rolle that had been at the airport, and is now stored at the fairgrounds.